Mobile Suit Gundam Bushido
by Darien Leonheart
Summary: 168 Cosmic Era. The Earth Alliance and ZAFT are at each others throats. Due to the struggle, a new rebel force called Psy Ops is formed for peaceful applications. However, lone pilot Cole Leonix, searches for their true purpose and his past.
1. At the Beginning

"Cole Roland!" A dark-haired professor yelled up to a boy asleep in the back of a traditional college classroom. The boy was still sleeping, his brown hair completely covering his face. The students around him laughed as the professor walked up the steps, making his way to this problem child. "I'm not sure if you understand correctly, but here at the Mars College, we expect our students to--" Cole turned his head.

"In order to compensate for battle on Earth, you have to rewrite the OS based on the friction coefficient and contact pressure of the terrain, not to mention compensating for weight displacement, depending on what type of suit is used." The professor stopped halfway. "But it has to be prepared before battle, or else you're sunk… quite literally." Cole lifted his head, smiling. "That's why I prefer space. You don't need to worry about drowning." The professor smiled a bit, turning around.

"Quite correct, though a bit rusty on the details. You are paying attention." The professor walked down the steps and back to his podium. "However, I need for you to stay awake in class, Mr. Roland. It doesn't matter if your mother is the Chairperson of Aube or Queen of the Earth." The other students laughed again, facing the front.

"Yes, sir. I'll try my best." Cole sighed, pulling out his notebook. He began to sketch what looked like a mobile suit as the professor finished his lesson. A while later, the bell rang, the students gathering their things and leaving. After everyone left, Cole moved down to the front and to the professor. "Professor Tilbit… I need a bit of help with something…" Tilbit smiled again. "I'm having some problems with my History classes. I was wondering if you could help me with it."

"Well, sure. What do you have so far?" Cole rubbed the back of his head, laughing quietly. "I see… Well, let's start with the most recent war." He said, showing Cole to a front seat. He sat down, taking his notes out. "About 25 years ago, Cosmic Era 170, the PLANTs received a great shock from what is now know as the Second Bloody Valentine. However, this specific PLANT was the epicenter of all ZAFT political relations and quite a blow to the entire faction. It was then that another faction known as Psy Ops arose, lead by Commander Airon Hito, to answer the call of protecting the PLANTs and defeating the enemy during the Shining Star War." Cole raised his hand. "No need to raise your hand, son."

"Sir. I've heard many rumors about the fact that Psy Ops themselves were the ones responsible for the Second Bloody Valentine, and Airon Hito was more of a dictator than a savi--" A fist hit the professor's desk.

"Such rumors are false and misleading. You shouldn't believe them if you want to stay alive!" Cole, shocked, sat up a bit. "Sorry… Now, let's get on to the major battles…" As if compelled, Cole turned his head, looking outside. In the courtyard was a man dressed in all black, wearing sunglasses, which were partially covered by his long dark hair. He held up his hand and walked off, leaving Cole's view. Cole turned back to the professor, writing the notes down. After a few hours, the professor closed his books, looking to Cole.

"Thanks a lot, Professor Tilbit." Cole stood up and walked over, bowing. Tilbit smiled, watching Cole leave. As the door closed, Cole sighed. "Damn… That's three more teachers who disagree… But I know it's true… Huh?" He looked to his right, seeing the same man from before. "Um, are you a professor here?" The man shrugged.

"Well well, that is a tough one… I can teach you, yes, but a professor is not my kind of profession." Cole sighed, walking up to the man. "Right… So what do you want to know, kid?" Cole pulled out a small sheet of paper, showing a picture of a sword with two great white wings sprouting from the hilt. "Oh, that… For that, we need to find someplace a bit more private." The man motioned for Cole to follow him. After taking quite a few twists and turns down hallways and corridors, the two finally came to a vacant classroom. "This place has been closed down for repairs. Obviously to install cameras or something. They're probably not in yet. Come on." He opened the door, letting Cole in first. Cole stepped further into the room and turned around, grabbing something in his pocket. The man closed the door. "You want to know about… Leonheart?" Cole gasped, letting go of the object and dropping it on the floor. It was a combat knife that looked fairly old. "I see… In the end, you don't trust me? I'm glad your mother raised you that way." Cole looked at the man, loosening up a bit.

"You know my mother? Melina Roland!" He sighed, laughing. "Well, I guess a lot of people would know her… But did you know her personally?"

"You could say that." The man smiled, pulling off his sunglasses. He had deep ocean blue eyes that peered into Cole's soul. "So, what's your name?"

"Cole. Cole Roland." The man sighed again, putting his hand to his face. "What's wrong with that."

"Nothing nothing… I told her not to name you after him…" Cole looked a bit surprised. "It's only natural that you'd be curious about who you're named after. In fact, I was there with him on the battlefield long ago." Cole smiled, putting his books down.

"So, you can tell me how it really happened, huh!" The man sighed, lowering his head. "To tell of one story, I must give another… Or rather a precursor." Cole looked at him with a strange face. "I'll need to take a long time to explain." Cole grabbed a chair, pulling it up to near the front. After a few seconds of blinking, the man smiled, chuckling. "All right. It began some amount of years before the Second Bloody Valentine and the Shining Star War… I never remember how many, but it doesn't really matter. He started his journey on the moon…"

- - - - - - - - - -

The sun shone brightly upon the surface of the moon, glimmering amongst the craters. Stepping up from one of them was a large, blue, armor-clad mobile suit. The armor reflected the sun's light, giving the blue a bit of virtuality. Inside the cockpit, the pilot was running checks on the weapons and equipment. "Sensors check. Steam vents check. Verniers check. Minovsky Drive working at optimum efficiency. Reactor power is at13.2 MW." The pilot pulled off his helmet, revealing his face. It was a boy, with short dark brown hair and sapphire blue eyes. He had a pair of sand goggles around his neck and a pendant of a winged sword under the goggles. He pressed a few of the buttons, making the mobile suit walk off the rill of the crater and onto the moon's smooth surface. "Reaction time is a bit slow… It must be build-up." He moved the arm controls around, checking them as well. "These are just fine… I guess that's what I get for crawling on dunes and craters." The mobile suit turned. As it did, the boy flicked a switch on the dash, turning on what looked like a camera. "Maintenance video #0021. This is Cole Leonix, now testing weapons capabilities of the Full Armor Enhanced ZZ Gundam with the newly installed Minovsky Drive and fusion reactor. Now testing power output of the Double beam rifle and High mega Cannon." The mobile lifted its right arm, aiming the large rifle positioned on its forearm and the cannons on its head at a small mountain. "3… 2… 1… Firing." The beams blasted at the mountain, obliterating the top part of it. Cole looked down at the console. "Power output:21 and 48 MW respectively. Damn… Now testing power output of Hyper Mega Cannon." The mobile suit lowered its arm and repositioned itself. On the torso of the suit gleamed the cannon, which was now charging. "3… 2… 1… Firing." The suit was blown back a few kilometers as the beam blasted from the cannon, firing into the rest of the mountain. As it hit, a large amount of dust and steam surrounded the area. After the dust settled, there was a skid mark on the moon's surface. "Whoops… Oh. Power output: 72 MW… Note: Transfer more power to High Mega. Take energy from Hyper Mega." A whistling sounded on the suit's speakers.

"That was quite impressive, Mr. Leonix." Behind the ZZ Gundam was a white Taurus. "Sorry. Didn't mean to interrupt, but my boss wants a word with you." The ZZ turned around, facing the Taurus.

"Then I am sorry as well, for I do not wish to meet anyone at the moment. And you are..?" The other pilot opened a visual, saluting. He was wearing a dark purple ZAFT uniform.

"For now, call me XNS. I am here to talk with you about joining our cause. We are gathering a number of coordinators together to create a faction of our own called Psy Ops. Would you care to join?" Cole smiled, laughing a bit

"Sorry to disappoint you, but I'm not a coordinator. I'm just a natural." XNS frowned, a bit annoyed. "But I'm flattered you think I am one. However, I will not join any faction yet…"

"Well, I'm not giving you a choice… I am a coordinator after all, and I never let a natural beat me. Either you join us or I kill you on the spot." Cole smirked, lowering his head.

"So… you're all from ZAFT?" XNS looked a bit confused. "Your uniform… You're a group of former ZAFT pilots, correct?" XNS nodded. "Sorry, ZNS, but I can't bring myself to work with those I have fought against for years." XNS got angry, yelling into the comm..

"It's XNS! You really do want to die don't you!" The Taurus lifted its beam rifle and fired. As the shot got closer, Cole looked up. His eyes were glowing a flame red. The ZZ strafed to the side, dodging the shot by far. It then ran at the Taurus, pulling a beam saber out. In a flash of light, the Taurus had lost its beam rifle and its legs. The ZZ then lifted its double beam rifle up.

"Never underestimate your opponent!" As he spoke, the rifle got right up to the Taurus' head, blasting it clean off as Cole finished speaking. The rest of the suit floated off into space. "Next time you try walking into the lion's den, bring a faster mobile suit." The Taurus floated off into space, immobilized. Inside the cockpit, Cole sighed, his eyes turning blue again. "Well now… Power output of Hyper Beam Sabers: 1.2 MW. Normal power. This ends Maintenance video #0021. Cole out." The screen blinked, showing a timer of the small fight. It read 00:05.73. "Damn… I guess I shouldn't hold back next time. Well, that bastard better watch it next time he sends a flunkie to fight me." The Full Armor Enhanced ZZ Gundam blasted off from the Moon's surface, flying away from the moon.


	2. Staring at the Sun

"You fell for it! You fell right into my trap!" A dark voice whispered around Cole. He was floating in a large void. "Did you really think I would let myself be so weak? You humans amuse me so much I might let you live for a while longer." Cole's hand twitched, his eyes moving around under his lids. "In the end, no one can defeat me! I am the omega of the human race!" Cole's hands twitched again, his eyes still moving around. He tried to open his mouth, but to no avail. "What? Want to prove me wrong! What is it you want to say to me?" Cole opened his eyelids, revealing blood red eyes.

"Up yours!" Cole suddenly leaned forward, hitting his head against the front screen. He had fallen asleep in the Full Armor Enhanced ZZ's cockpit, as he did many times. The ZZ had been floating around space for quite some time, Cole taking a rest from his antics on the moon. He sat back up in the chair, shifting the ZZ's main systems back online. The mobile suit fired off a few bursts, straightening up its stance. Cole opened up a map of where he was and the nearest colony. "So, Heliopolis... They finally finished the newer colony." After closing the map, he turned the ZZ's thrusters on, blasting towards Heliopolis.

Every once in a while, Cole had to maneuver past bits and pieces of debris. "This is all left over from the destruction of the first Heliopolis. The debris has gotten so spread out now that they had no choice but to bring new materials to make a new colony." He sighed, watching as the colony came into view. "At least now they allow mobile suits to stay inside the hangar, considering the newly-established peace." Cole shut down the thrusters as the ZZ came up to the lane that led to the hangar of the new Heliopolis. He pressed a few switches, turning on random thrusters to align the mobile suit and land it.

As it passed the first bay door, it closed behind it, turning the lights a red color as the systems began pressurizing the entryway. When the systems finished, the light turned green, opening the inner bay door. The ZZ slowly walked to a vacant space and stood, shutting down. Cole pulled a few last switches and opened the cockpit, climbing out. He was wearing a long black trench coat along with black pants and a black shirt. As Cole jumped out, a few maintenance people walked up to it. "It doesn't need maintenance. Just needs a bit of a rest, that it does," Cole said, shooing off crews. He smiled, looking towards the doorway that led to inside the colony. He climbed out onto the catwalk and headed to the door, watching as some crewmembers worked on what looked like a white Epyon mobile suit. Cole simply ignored it and headed to the doorway, entering the bright city of Heliopolis.

As Cole entered, he looked around at the vast colony, seeing very few signs of continued work. "I guess they're just about done. I guess it took a while for them to approve of its construction." He walked to the road and onto the sidewalk, heading for the center of Heliopolis. Cole looked around, watching small families pass by, looking at a few of the houses. _How nice it must be... To be able to live in peace like this And while they live here in a state of bliss, I am outside, fighting to keep this peace the way it is. To make sure they can keep on living in this state. Though, is it worth it? True peace... It's more of a fool's Elysium than a practical utopia. _He passed by a few suburbs, watching school kids chattering and walking around. _But if that is the case, then I'd rather be a fool and keep on fighting._

Cole stopped as he peered into the business district of Heliopolis, seeing a bar near the edge of the district lines. He stepped across the dividing line and headed for the bar. The sign above its black doors read, 'O'Shale's Bar' in bright neon lights. Cole smirked, walking to the door and opening it, entering. The bar looked like any bar you'd find on Earth. It was traditional wood floor with the lower walls made of stone and the rest of regular brick. At the back of the bar was the actually bar itself, the bartender walking away from a man who was hunched over the railings of the counter. Cole sat down on one of the red cloth stools and shook his hand at the bartender. The bartender, a slender man with short blonde hair, walked up, slinging a cloth over his shoulder.

"What can I get ya?" The bartender asked, pulling out a mug.

"Just some water... For now." The bartender chortled a bit, filling the mug with water and putting it in front of Cole. He grabbed the mug, looking over at the hunched over man, who was staring off into his mug, which was almost empty.

"I never understand why people are so dead set on seeing if it's half full or half empty," The man spoke with a somewhat deep British accent. "What's the point if eventually you either drink the rest of it or toss it out?"

"Maybe they need something to argue about." The man looked at Cole, who took a drink of the water. "Then again, maybe it's just to test a person's psyche." The man scooted down a few stools. "So, what is your name?"

"Call me Mat. I'm not much for anything but drinking and sleeping, eh?" He drank the rest of the mug, putting it on the counter in front of him. "And what about you?"

"I'm stuck here. I get sick on planes... Always worrying if the shuttle will malfunction or if someone goes insane and tries to open the door. I'm stuck here," Cole said, taking a drink, watching Mat give him a weird look out of the corner of his eye.

"Yeah, right. That's a piss poor excuse for someone like you. I know that you just got here to Heliopolis." Cole chuckled quietly, taking a large drink of his water.

"Well, the reason's about as fake as your accent, Mat. And so is the fact that you suddenly know where I came from. I'd say you have some sort of camera installed in your Epyon out there." Mat sat up slowly, no longer smiling or anything. "My name is Cole. I'm here because I need to find out something." Mat waited for the bartender to grab his mug before speaking.

"Well well, the great Lunar Lion decides to ask poor, lowly me about the newest rising faction, Psy Ops," Mat replied, holding his hands up in an 'As a matter of fact' position. "I know a lot, but why should I tell you?" Cole put down the mug and turned his head slowly.

"Because, considering you and the bartender are the only ones in here, it'll take only a few seconds to take you down and force the information out of you without hindrance. Also, the fact that there's only the bartender around means there's no one here to save your ass when my gun is pointed at your heart." Mat laughed at Cole's threat, grabbing his now filled mug from the bartender, who was unaffected by Cole's words.

"So, that's why they call you the Lunar Lion." He took a swig and gasped. "Well, I can tell you only a little bit... They're so new that even I haven't been able to get very much info." Cole looked down at his empty mug, pushing it aside. "But I guess you wanna hear it all anyways, eh?" Cole nodded his head, turning to Mat, who took another swig. "Psy Ops is a faction started by a combination of coordinators and naturals who abandoned the ideals of both ZAFT and the Earth Alliance. This faction has amassed a great deal of members over the passage of only two weeks. Their leader is a man named Airon Hito, most commonly known as Sazabi Unknown. Two facts are given on this man: One, he pilots the rare Sazabi mobile suit, and two, no one knows who he is, where he came from, or why he's here. Though we do know he's what some would call a newtype." Cole sighed as Mat finished.

"In other words, he basically can bond with the machines and control them. Their MO is the use of Bits and Funnels along with other weapons." Mat smiled, taking another swig.

"But also, he's a coordinator. First Generation. So he has amazing skills and strategies. Even the best pilots would have a hard time outmaneuvering him," Mat took a swig and sighed. "Well, so far. I haven't tried, but I know the outcome. I'd beat him in a heartbeat." Cole smirked, putting some money down on the counter and standing up. "You leaving?"

"Yup. I've heard enough information to last for a while. Now I need to go to Earth and find some information about something else." Mat took one last swig and put his money down as well. Cole walked out of the bar, heading to the hangar, Mat close behind. "I need to ask some people about a mysterious Gundam that appeared about two years ago on the surface of the death planet." Mat stopped walking, a bit shocked.

"The death planet? You mean the large ball of space debris that was caught in Earth's gravitational pull and became a second moon... That death planet!" Cole nodded, still walking. Mat sighed, catching up. "That place is purely uninhabitable. What makes you think that demon is on that thing?"

"Don't you think it's the ideal place for something so evil to house itself?" Cole finished, keeping silent the rest of the way to the hangar, putting Mat in a position to mouth off all he knew on the planet, things Cole already knew, allowing him to block out Mat's blabbering. Eventually, after a long walk, the two made it up to the hangar and to the catwalk.

"So, Cole, you're gonna hunt it down? The devil that has never been defeated?" Cole nodded, provoking Mat to growl a bit and sigh. "Well, shit, I'll keep on sniffing around, see if I learn anything about it or Psy Ops, a'ight?" Cole nodded. Mat turned, holding his hand out. "Make sure and remember my name, okay? We might be able to fight each other some time. See who's stronger." Cole laughed, shaking Mat's hand.

"Oh, we know the outcome," Cole said, smiling. When Mat removed his hand, he turned and headed to the Epyon, leaving Cole to move back to the ZZ. As he moved to the cockpit, he saw a maintenance man standing near the cockpit. "What's wrong? Something off?" The maintenance man smiled, shaking his head.

"I'm just impressed. Well, you see, I own the local junkyard and I know quite a few packages that could easily be fitted onto a Gundam of this caliber. Wanna see?" He held out a clipboard to Cole, who took it and read down a few pages. When he reached the third page, he stopped at the very top and pointed it out to the junkyard guy. He laughed, looking at the choice. "That one's a pretty powerful addition, though few ever try it out. Is this the only one you want?" Cole nodded. The man turned and headed down to the lower levels.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

The Full Armor Enhanced ZZ peered down at the Earth as the Hawaiian Islands passed. Inside, Cole was waiting for Australia to come into view, along with Onogoro. "If anything, they should know about it. Especially considering they were the ones who found all of the lost technology in the first place." He kept watching for his cue, having plenty of time to spare.

After some time of silence, the sensors beeped, picking up eleven mobile suits coming from behind. The ZZ turned, facing ten white Tauruses and a Buster Gundam. The communicator beeped, opening a visual to the Buster's cockpit, showing the face of the pilot Cole met on the moon.

"Well now, Cole... Looks like I found you!" The pilot sneered, getting only a yawn from Cole as a response.

"Oh... You... Nobody but Zns." He sighed, peering at the other suits. _All ten Tauruses. With beam cannons and sabers no doubt._ He sighed again as Xns growled, annoyed.

"XNS! You damned fool! I'll make you pay for that and what you did to me on the moon!" The Tauruses surrounded the motionless ZZ. "I have orders to destroy you on sight!" The Buster connected its gun launcher and beam rifle, aiming at the ZZ, the Tauruses aiming their beam cannons as well. Cole smiled, peering at the thermals, which revealed no human pilots in the Tauruses.

"So, Psy Ops has access to lost technology, and some good stuff at that..." The Taursues' sensors glowed as the Buster completed the circle surrounding the ZZ. Xns sneered before the visual closed.

"Now you die!" he yelled as all eleven suits fired their cannons at the ZZ. Cole laughed as the ZZ dashed upward, offloading a large wall of missiles onto the Tauruses, destroying a few as the rest dodged and kept firing.

"Good thing they're dolls or else I'd have to hold back!" Cole commented as the ZZ drew a saber and threw it into one of the Tauruses, immediately pulling it out and slashing into a second one down the middle, destroying both. "Six to go!" The ZZ fired the cannon on its arm, shooting down two more. It then spun downward, firing side-winding missiles in every direction, leaving only one Taurus and the Buster undamaged. Xns looked out at the debris, shocked.

"I don't believe it! He took out nine of the dolls in mere seconds!" Xns growled as the Buster fired every weapon it had at the ZZ, the Taurus joining in. the ZZ simply turned, its front completely unblocked.

"Say hello to my little friend!" Cole yelled as the ZZ fired its Torso Cannon, overpowering the other attacks and blasting through the Taurus, taking it and the left arm of the Buster into oblivion.

"Bastard!" Xns screamed as the ZZ came up to the Buster and kicked it in the head, slashing into the suit's arm as well. The Buster grabbed the ZZ's arm, Xns chuckling. The ZZ yanked the Buster's arm from its side, putting the other hand to its head. The hand suddenly glowed red, Xns shaking with fright. "Wha-What the--?"

"God Finger." Cole said calmly as the ZZ crushed the Buster's head and kicked the rest of the suit away. "I have some things to take care of, so if you'll excuse me." The ZZ bowed and backed up towards the Earth, eventually turning after Cole let out his last comment, "Later, Zns."

"IT'S XNS!" he screamed, unable to see where he was drifting. The ZZ kept descending, Onogoro now in plain sight.

"Aube... Home away from home, eh, ZZ?" Cole sighed as the Full Armor began its entrance into the atmosphere, taking very minimal damage from the descent.


	3. Hell's Bells

"Mobile suit entering atmosphere, heading: north by northeast. Altitude, 2300 feet." The workers at the control tower were checking the monitors. "Checking database… It's a Full Armor Enhanced." The Captain chuckled, knowing who it was. "2000 feet."

"It's okay. Just a regular." The Captain walked over to the comm. panel and picked up the radio, calling the mobile suit. "Welcome back, Cole. Land on Platform 6." Inside the cockpit of the ZZ, Cole nodded, pressing down on the pedals and allowing the computer to take care of the adjustments. The ZZ fired its thrusters and slowed its descent to Onogoro. It slowed almost to a halt as it turned and descended at a slow speed, its feet finally moving under it. The suit blew off some steam as it landed on the ground, some maintenance trucks driving by. As Cole climbed out of the cockpit, one of the technicians called up to him.

"Hey! Need any repairs?" The technician yelled up at Cole as he tethered down to the ground.

"No, just needs a long rest, that's all," Cole smiled at the technician as he drove to around the suit. He looked towards the base and saw a jeep pull up to him. Inside were the Captain and an Ensign who was driving. "Yo. I came to hang out." The Captain smiled, motioning to Cole. He jumped into the back of the jeep and it sped towards the base.

"It's been a while, Cole… **She** was especially angry when she heard you left so suddenly." Cole sighed, knowing whom the Captain was speaking of. "Who could blame her? Seems like you have a reputation for breaking hearts around Aube."

"It wasn't really my fault." Cole rubbed the back of his head, watching the front door of the base slowly come into view. The jeep halted suddenly, jerking Cole to the side a bit. He climbed out and looked back at the Captain.

"You'll be greeted by the secretary and taken to the designated waiting room. I'll speak with you later on." The Captain waved his hand, the Ensign pushing down the gas and driving off. Cole turned and entered the base, immediately greeted by the secretary, a young lady in a blue uniform and blonde hair.

"Welcome to Morgenroete, Mr. Leonix." Cole smiled, a bit bothered by being called 'Mr.' , but not enough to be rude about it. The secretary led Cole to the second floor, into a spacious waiting room with a view of the mountainside that faced the building. "I'll go on ahead and call in the Director of R&D." the woman bowed and exited the room, leaving Cole to gaze out of the window.

"Man… Last time I was here, I couldn't get even a small ounce of time to myself like this." He walked to the window and watched as a few random mobile suits walked by. His smile faded a bit. "And to think I was doing the same thing only a month or so ago. Of course I was just there as a test pilot, free lance." One of the mobile suits turns to the window and lifts its hand, making a peace sign. Cole smiled and laughed, peace-signing back. "And yet the others haven't changed one bit." He turned and sat down on one of the couches, waiting for the Director.

After a few minutes of waiting, Cole dozed off tired from the descent and his pre-descent battle. After staying asleep for so long, Cole opened his eyes slowly, seeing a face surrounded by chestnut-colored hair right above him. He jerked forward and jumped into the air, almost hitting the window. He turned and looked to see who it was. In horror, Cole backed up a bit more. It was a woman with dark green eyes, and a blue dress-uniform.

"Um. Why are..? What are..?" Cole tried to remain calm, but to no avail. The woman walked up to him, glaring.

"That's all you can say after you just left without notifying me!" The woman got in Cole's face. Cole laughed nervously, backing away from her.

"Come on, Melina! I had to leave right when I got the message! I couldn't call you because first of all, you weren't at your office and second of all my mind was completely set on going back into space!" He finally gained some courage and moved forward on Melina, making her back up a bit.

"Oh! And a few seconds couldn't have hurt, huh! You could have come and told me where you were going! I don't care how late or early it is! I want to know when one of my projects is taken into space!" Melina had finally found something that made Cole quiet. After a few minutes, Cole sighed and walked past her. "You were supposed to contact me if you ever needed to take the ZZ anywhere."

"Still worried about the mobile suit and not the pilot?" Cole looked back at Melina. His question had put them back on equal footing. After a few minutes of silence, Cole shrugged his shoulders and faced Melina. "Look, I'm sorry I didn't tell you but it was on short notice. Now why don't we put that behind us and move on to the business at hand." Melina looked down for a few seconds and then turned her head, accepting his proposition disdainfully.

The two left the waiting room and headed towards the eastern wing of Morgenroete. Melina kept silent as Cole followed her towards the Research and Development floor. "Come on, Melina... You know I didn't mean to, I was just preoccupied, that's all." Melina remained quiet, not answering him. Cole sighed as he caught up and got in front of her, stopping her. Melina looked at him, wondering why he stopped her. "I didn't mean to forget about you, but there were a lot of things on my mind. So..." Cole steps back and bows to Melina. "I'm sorry for not calling you. Please forgive me." Cole looked up at Melina, seeing her surprised face change into a smile. She giggled a bit and walked past him.

"I'm not that angry about it. I just wanted to hear you apologize is all." She kept moving. Cole sighed and stood straight, shrugging his shoulders. He ran up to her side and walked with her. "So, you want to know all that you can about the lost technology? How much do you know so far?" Cole rubbed the back of his head.

"Just start from the beginning and work your way into the finer details," Cole replied. "I don't want to miss any details at all, even if they're simple matters." Melina nodded and turned into one of the elevators, holding the door for Cole. When Cole got in, Melina pressed one of the buttons and the doors shifted closed. The elevator shook and started going up.

"The lost technology was discovered many years ago while scientists were trying to find a way to get rid of the Neutron Jammers that were planted into the ground as a result of the Bloody Valentine." She pulled out a folder from her clipboard and handed it to Cole. "The first lost technology was a mobile suit, specifically this model." Cole opened up the folder and saw the title "RX-78 Gundam". "After that, mobile doll technology, Minovsky fusion reactors, and even the Minovsky Drive engines were discovered and a large array of mobile suit and mobile armor designs. What's most interesting is there was even data on all of the technology that was readable by our computers." She took the folder from Cole, who was done reading its contents.

"And the lost technology was first discovered by Morgenroete, right? If I remember correctly, by your father." Melina nodded, watching the floor number change on the elevator panel. "He was the one who worked on the Minovsky ultracompact fusion reactor and the I-fields... for peaceful applications, of course."

"Yeah... But the Earth Alliance and ZAFT were pissed off about us having the lost technology and improving it for our armies. Therefore, a treaty was signed that allowed the lost technology to be shared amongst the factions while allowing Aube to keep its neutrality. The bad part was that Earth and ZAFT used the lost technology to make even stronger weapons. The worst one of all being a specific Gundam mobile suit." The elevator dinged and the doors opened. Melina and Cole walked out onto a platform that looked onto the mobile suit hangars, the Full Armor Enhanced ZZ in one of the places. Cole smiled down at the ZZ as they moved on through the bay.

"I'm guessing you mean the Devil? How exactly did that thing get off the Earth, huh?"

"It was brought into space in order to be worked on by our technicians from Heliopolis." Melina walked up to a large metal door and slid her ID card through the reader, punching in the code. The door opened slowly and the two walked into the dark, gloomy room. Cole turned the lights on, revealing a large supercomputer with a main screen and four sub-screens. Melina walked to the computer and turned it on, the monitors shifting on, showing a diagram of a large Gundam with what looked like an upper torso connected to a larger head-like body by a long neck. "This is it. The Devil Gundam." Cole walked up to the computer, glaring at it. "They thought it could be used for peaceful applications, but--"

"That thing killed my friends." Melina turned to Cole, a bit surprised. "It killed every single one." Cole lowered his head a bit, still glaring upward. His hands closed into fists as the screen flipped over to another diagram and a long list of the Devil's weapons and equipment. "I'd recognize that thing anywhere." Melina backed up a bit, afraid of what Cole might do. However, Cole stood in place, not moving. _Cynthia... _Cole turned and rammed his fist into the ground, making a small crater. Melina gasped and backed up a bit more. "I'll get it this time. I'll make sure and destroy it!" He stood back up, his eyes red. "I'll send it back to hell or die trying!" Melina watched Cole as he looked back at the computer, glaring at the next screen, which was an actual photo of the Devil Gundam's face, which seemed to glare back down at Cole.

- - - - - - - - - - -

"Where to this time?" Melina was standing in front of Cole, who was about to get into the ZZ. She looked worried because of how angry Cole acted in the data room. He smiled and looked back at the ZZ. "I was hoping you would stay a bit longer."

"Sorry, but if I run into any hostiles, I'll need the ZZ. It's best suited for my style of combat. Plus I'm so used to its cockpit configuration, it'd be pointless to switch now." He turned and started heading towards the ZZ's cockpit. "I'm going to Josh-A to meet with some of the Earth Alliance officials about the Devil. I have a nagging suspicion it's going to reactivate and attack some unknowing civilians." Cole looked back at Melina as he walked. "Don't worry, the ZZ'll be in one piece once he and I come back." He climbed in and closed the hatch, turning on the main power. The ZZ stood up, its eyes glowing green. It walked a few steps forward and lifted its left arm, giving Melina a thumbs up as it blasted off and left the hangar. Melina lifted her clipboard and sighed.

"Name: Cole Leonix. Birth date: August 23, C.E. 151. Birthplace: Unknown. Current address: Unknown. Medical Status: Normal..." She looks at the open hangar door. "Hard to believe he's a natural and yet so strong. I guess it did have an effect on him." She turned and walked out of the hangar. Outside, The Full Armor Enhanced ZZ jetted away from Onogoro and to the Northeast, heading to Alaska.

- - - - - - - - - - -

The ZZ flew past the Aube territorial waters, the orange sun reflecting off the waves. Cole's mind stayed on the Devil Gundam. "Why would anyone in their right mind recreate such a weapon if it is indeed uncontrollable?" As he finished speaking, a beam shot came from above, passing the ZZ's side. Cole grabbed the controls and veered to the right, spinning around and hovering in the air. He looked up and saw the Buster on a subflight lifter, aiming its combined cannons at the ZZ. "What? Again! Don't you ever give up, Zns!" The Buster fired its cannon at the ZZ repeatedly. The blue suit dodged every shot with relative ease.

"It's X! X!" Xns yelled as the Buster kept firing. The ZZ dodged one last shot and then held its hands back. It dashed towards the Buster and pulled its arms outward. "What the..!" The hands glowed and jabbed at the Buster, slicing the beam cannons and the its arm into pieces. Xns grunted and opened fire with the remaining weaponry at point blank. "DIE!"

"Not a chance!" The ZZ descended and then came back up, its beam saber drawn and powered. It rose up and slashed into the Buster's other arm from underneath. "There's still someone I need to avenge and I don't have time to mess around with some small fry!" Cole moved the other hand at the Buster's head and crushed it. The ZZ then kicked Buster away and blasted off, its heading still for Alaska.

"DAMMIT!" Xns yelled as the Buster plummeted to the waters below, the subflight lifter flying out of control. The sun began to set behind the ZZ, shining a golden blue color from the dusk.


	4. Running With the Devil

The Full Armor Enhanced ZZ blended in with the night sky, on its journey towards Alaska. Inside the cockpit, Cole was thinking about the Earth Alliance and its rebuilt bases. "Josh-A was destroyed during the Bloody Valentine War a hundred years ago, but it took that much time for them to finally rebuild it in a more ideal location." He looked at the screen, which showed the location of Josh-A, which was rebuilt closer inland to Canada than the first Josh-A. The base came into view in the pale moonlight. "And of course they'll be wondering who I am and my purpose. However, if that man is still leader, I'll have more trouble than I thought." The ZZ came into view of Josh-A's control tower, the soldiers inside suddenly bustling and getting into place. The soldier at the radio called to the ZZ.

"Attention, unidentified mobile suit. You are coming upon the airspace of the Earth Alliance base Josh-A. State your name and business." Cole smiled and opened a visual.

"This is Cole Leonix, independent. I have come here to talk with the head of the Earth Alliance base Josh-A concerning matters of lost technology." The line remained quiet for a few minutes. The ZZ slowed to a halt mere kilometers from the coast. The video in the cockpit switched over to a man in an EA uniform with short, blonde hair and brown eyes. "Ah... A different commander..."

"I am Admiral Matthais Trenton, commander of this base. Identify yourself again." Cole sighed as the man spoke.

"I already said it. I am Cole Leonix, former member of the rebel squad Angel Wing." The soldiers started talking amongst themselves and whispering. The admiral cleared his throat, making the room quiet.

"Mr. Leonix--"

"Just Cole, sir."

"Okay... Cole, what do you wish to talk about?"

"The death planet and information concerning the Devil Gundam." The admiral's eyes widened and he lowered his head. Cole's smile faded when he saw the admiral's reaction. The admiral put the radio down, not shutting it off.

"Let him land. I'll meet with him on the ground personally." He picked up the radio again as the soldiers scurried about. "You're clear for landing." Cole nods and closes the communication. The lights of the base shift on as the ZZ comes in and lands in front of a nearby hangar, facing the control tower. A jeep drove up to the mobile suit as Cole got out and tethered to the ground. The jeep turned and stopped, its right side facing Cole. The admiral got up from the passenger seat and saluted him. "Welcome to Josh-A, Lunar Lion." Cole sighed, looking at the admiral. He wasn't too old, in his early twenties and a bit taller than Cole.

"How about just Cole, okay? I hate pseudonyms and ranks, Matthais."

"I don't. Call me Admiral." Cole smiled, sighing silently through his teeth. "Get in. I'll take you to a place where we can talk about your information." Cole hopped into the back seat and the admiral got back into the passenger side. The jeep shook slightly and moved on, heading towards the control tower.

"I hope I don't have to ride in anymore jeeps after this," Cole remarked as he watched buildings pass by.

"We will get onto the main road from here and head for the base," the admiral kept his head unturned as he spoke. Cole rubbed the back of his head, nodding slightly. "We don't get many night visitors, much less a man of your candor. We appreciate what you and your group did for us on the Moon those years ago."

"Yeah, well it's too bad Psy Ops decided to take the Moon up as well. You should really be thanking our real commander."

"Indeed. James Leonheart was a true hero and leader. I guess it wouldn't surprise me if he somehow was your father." Cole winced a bit at his comment, looking off towards the ocean.

"No, I guess not." He remained quiet, prompting the admiral to continue.

"Well, I was stationed here only a few weeks ago, to replace the previous commander. He apparently became ill and was hospitalized." Cole looked back at the admiral. "He eventually died I think." Cole looked down, seeming half-surprised, but half-relieved.

"Well, I guess that is something rather sad," Cole commented, not too sad himself. The jeep eventually came through some dense forest roads and to the main building. "Hidden in the trees: An ideal place for a rebuilt Earth Alliance base." The admiral remained silent as the jeep drove into the parking garage and stopped on the second floor. The admiral and driver got out and headed to the elevator that led to the first floor. Cole followed, looking at the area as they headed into the actual base. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say this place was made many years before it was announced completed." He looked around, seeing that the walls and floors were rather decrepit. The admiral ignored his comment and led Cole into a conference room, which had a few other high-ranking military leaders in it. The admiral walked to the head of the table and motioned for Cole to sit opposite of him. Cole moved to the chair as the others stood, sitting down after they did.

"I apologize for gathering you people at such a late time, but it appears we have a greater problem than ZAFT and this newer group," The admiral began as the other officers started chattering quietly amongst themselves. "We have with us today one of our greatest allies in defeating the ZAFT radicals posted at the moon, ace pilot Cole Leonix, otherwise known as the Lunar Lion." Cole sighed as the officers muttered some more. _I don't exactly like the name that I was given, but people know it better than my real name._ "He has something he wants to bring to our attention before it brings itself into view. Cole." The admiral motioned to Cole, the other officers quieting down and looking at him. Cole sighed as he stood up and walked over to the nearby projector, sliding in a data disk.

"This disk contains information on several pieces of lost technology that were discovered years ago, specifically..." He lifted the remote and pressed the button, showing a snapshot of the Devil's head and body. "...This beast." The officers gasped a bit, murmuring. "This is the mobile suit JDG-00X, code named Devil Gundam. It was discovered in the seas South of Hokkaido, Japan. It was brought from the waters by Morgenroete and taken to Onogoro. There it was gathered and sent into Space to be finished at Heliopolis." One of the officers stood up.

"Spare us the grueling details, Mr. Leonix--"

"Call me Cole... Sir," he interrupted, the officer clearing his throat and continuing.

"Why don't you just get to the point? If not, if you could permit me to have a light nap before business starts up." The other officers chuckled a bit. Cole sighed and kept on talking.

"This thing is outfitted with about ten Hyper Mega Cannons." The officers stopped and remained silent. "Fire-linked, it'd be enough to wipe out the entire continent of North America and then some, gentlemen." They looked a bit surprised. "Not to mention it has the ability to take over anything organic using a special type of substance known as DG Cells. It can take over animals, plants, environments... Even human beings." One of the other officers stood up.

"Are you saying that this thing can easily destroy everyone on the planet? If so, then why hasn't it done so?"

"I'm not sure, but I do know that it has some connection with the second satellite of the Earth." The admiral looked at Cole and decided to ask.

"So, you're saying this Devil Gundam has a connection to the Death Planet?" Cole nodded. The other officers sat back down and started conversing amongst themselves. "And, by any chance, do you know who decided to complete it?"

"I have a nagging suspicion," Cole replied, the officers looking at him, now seeming more serious. "...The previous commander of this base, General John Mist." The officers stood up in unison, beginning to yell.

"That is unheard of! No one would be so foolish, even him!"

"That General was as corrupted as you are, you fool!"

"He was always trying to get more power in the military! This is proof!"

"Gentlemen, calm down! Sit down!" The admiral was having a hard time getting them quiet. Cole watched them quietly, his breathing slowly becoming a growl as he walked back to the table. As the men argued, Cole pulled his right hand into his coat, drew out a long broadsword, and slammed it into the table, breaking it in half. The officers quieted down and looked at Cole.

"That's enough! This is no time to bicker! This thing is a real threat to the planet! I have fought it myself and lost all of my comrades. This thing is truly a demon and must be destroyed." He glares at the others, his eyes slowly becoming blood red. "However, to destroy it, we need everyone's cooperation: Earth Alliance, Aube, and even ZAFT. Now, it is possible that the General was the catalyst behind this thing; however it was not in connection to the Earth Alliance. But that doesn't matter anymore!" Cole put away his sword as the rest of the room sat down. "What matters now is that you do your best to get anyone willing and able to come to space and aid in defeating this thing before it can touch the Earth. If you cannot even perform such a simple task, then you very much deserve to die." He turns and walks towards the computer, pulling the disk out. He looks back at the admiral, who's quite shocked. "If you want to do what's best for this world, then you will make this thing your number one target." Cole stood behind his chair, watching the officers just sit in their chairs, absorbing all that was said. The admiral stood and looked at him.

"This is indeed a great threat... However, we cannot afford to sacrifice any manpower at this time. What if ZAFT were to attack us? If we sent mobile suits out now, then we'd be defenseless and easily defeated." Cole's eyes widen quickly and narrowed just as fast. "I am sorry, but due to circumstances, we cannot. We cannot trust ZAFT, even if they send troops out there as well." Cole growled and glared at the admiral.

"I see... Too worried about your own asses to care about the rest of the world." He turns and starts walking out. "If you truly value the Earth above all else and wish to protect it, then you will send help to Space."

"I wish we could, but you're just one man. We can't support someone who's on his or her own. If you were maybe part of a group then it would be feasible. However, that would be nearly impossible to do now; to form a new faction." Cole looked back, smiling a bit.

"It's a good thing I got a head start then." He walked out and closed the door, leaving some very confused soldiers in the conference room. He found his way out of the building and to the parking garage, where he got on the jeep and drove it out of the complex and down the road towards the airstrips. "Idiots... I may not be much of a politician, but I know that ZAFT could care less about the Earth Alliance with that mobile suit flying around in space. That thing is as much of a threat to the PLANTs as it is to the Earth." Cole slowly pulls up to the entrance to the airfield, which was now fenced closed and the checkpoint's gate lowered. The guard stopped him and looked at him.

"And you are?"

"Leaving. I came in on the ZZ." The guard walked into the security booth and picked up the radio, calling to the base. Cole lowered his right hand from the steering wheel and to the sword hidden under his coat. After a minute of talking, the soldier came back out and waved to Cole, the fence opening up and the wooden gate rising up. Cole saluted lightly and drove in, looking back at the guard through the mirror. When the jeep drove past the gate, the guard went back in and called on the radio again. A bit curious, Cole turned on the jeep's radio, seeing if anything was picked up. He turned the frequency up and down a few times as he drove up to the Full Armor Enhanced ZZ. By the time he had stopped the jeep, he picked up a signal and turned it up.

"We have an intruder on the base. Orders are to shoot him on site. Prepare the mobile suits for launch," Cole scoffed as the radio went on. He jumped out of the jeep and pulled on the tether connected to the cockpit, lifting him off the ground. Halfway up, bullets sped by around Cole as soldiers came out and started firing on him. Cole swung the tether around, dodging the bullets as he finally swung upward and into the cockpit, letting the tether reel in before he closed the cockpit completely. The ZZ fired up its thrusters and lifted off from the ground, getting airborne and moving South. Inside, Cole was grunting as he held his hand to his left shoulder, which got scraped by one of the bullets. He looked at the screens, seeing if he was being followed. Sure enough, behind him were three Strike Daggers, ready to fire on him.

"Shit. Can't I get a break?" Cole scoffed as the ZZ turned and fried its missiles at the Daggers, destroying one of the suit's heads and shield, forcing it to return. The other two started firing on the ZZ, which was now aiming its rifle as well. "And you two are a pain in the ass!" He shot both rifles off of the Daggers and suddenly veered to the side and got behind them, the ZZ drawing a saber and slashing off their heads as well. The blue suit sped past the two headless Daggers and slowly ascended. "I should go into Space. I need to get back home." Cole commented, his mobile suit disappearing in the darkness of the sky.


	5. November Rain

"Those dumb-- ow!" Cole winced as his wound was being sewn up on his shoulder. Standing near him was Melina, who had brought a first aid kit to him and was fixing him up. Cole was sitting in the waiting room of Morgenroete, leaning back on one of the couches, his coat lying over the back of it.. "Followed me while out of their airspace, too. I tried to head into space, but they pulled a surprise attack and shot my drive thrusters. I had no choice but to head back here." Outside, the ZZ was being rolled into one of the hangar bays, scorched and damaged.

"That's what you get for letting your anger get the better of you," Melina nagged as she pulled the needle out of his skin, halfway through. "So what happened? Why'd they do such a thing?"

"They did it." Melina looked at Cole's face, confused. "Their General was the one who ordered the Devil rebuilt. Considering what kind of a man he was, he must have done it for power." Cole winced again as Melina pushed the needle in. "If he took it into space, it'd be because the Earth Alliance has a weaker eye on the colonies. They told me that he had died, but I think he's actually piloting that thing himself." He looked at Melina as she sewed another stitch, "Tell me, did you ever test the cockpit's compatibility before it was taken?"

"I didn't even have any knowledge that it was under the Earth Alliance's jurisdiction when it was sent to space. It makes me wonder who should really be in charge at Morgenroete and Aube. I don't think these people are upholding the ideals of Representative Athha." Cole looked out through the window from the couch, seeing the last of the ZZ's body as the hangar door closed. Melina finished sewing the wound shut and cuts the remaining string from the stitches. Cole let his sleeve lower and moved his arm around.

"He was insane, that man: always hungry for power. And he treated women like crap," Cole said as he stood up and walked towards the window. "I wouldn't be surprised if he did take that thing. It'd explain the big cover-up." He watched the sun set. "Well, I guess I'm staying overnight." He walked back to the couch and sat down, sighing. "Man, I guess I haven't had any sleep in a while," Cole spoke as his eyes slowly closed and he fell asleep. Melina smiled down at him and shook him a bit.

"I think a bed would be a lot better." Cole turned a bit, but remained asleep. Melina giggled and left the room, coming back with a blanket. She put it over Cole, who was now lying down on the couch. "Sweet dreams." She turned and left the room, closing the door.

Cole turned over a bit, his face showing a hint of distress. He saw himself standing in utter darkness, looking down at a small Doric pillar. On top of it was the silhouette of a blade and what looked like a magnum. Cole walked to the pillar and picked up the magnum. As he lifted it, the blade came up along with it, replacing the barrel of the magnum, which shined brightly against the darkness. The sword was straight like a broadsword on one side but curved down into a widening blade on the other. Halfway down the blade was the etching of a lion's head and some strange rune-like writing. Cole looked at it, unable to read it. He held up the sword and the darkness was suddenly split in half, the light blinding.

Cole opened his eyes slowly, seeing his hand up in the air. He sat up and sighed, his hand to his face.

"What the..?" He turned his head, looking at the sun rise from the tops of the hills. "I see. I fell asleep..." Cole looked down at his hands. "Was it... Revolver?" He got up slowly and walked to the window. The ZZ was being pulled out of the hangar. On the ground, Melina was directing the workers on where to tote the mobile suit. Cole folded up the blanket, put it on the couch, and walked out of the room, heading outside.

As he exited, the jeeps drove past, Melina watching them drive off. She turned around and looked at Cole, smiling.

"How long was I out?" Cole asked as he rubbed the back of his head, yawning.

"Well... I'd say a few hours... But the ZZ is repaired and ready to go." She smiled, looking back at him. "You definitely seem cuter when you're asleep." Cole sighed, his face going a bit red.

"Thanks a lot... I feel better knowing I look 'cute'." He walks towards the ZZ. "So, is there a shuttle ready at the mass driver?"

"Yeah. One specifically designed for carrying the ZZ and two passengers." Cole turned to look at Melina.

"Two?" he said as he crossed his arms a bit. "May I ask why?"

"Well, someone has to take the shuttle back. Plus I feel like seeing you off halfway," she replied, Cole a bit surprised.

"Why? I'm not that important... Well, not in general." Cole stayed quiet for a minute and walked closer to her. "What, do you like me that much?" Caught off guard, Melina went red and shook her head.

"Of course not! I just want to make sure you don't fall asleep and crash my precious mobile suit." Cole growled and clenched his fists.

"Your mobile suit! That thing is my mobile suit! I'm the one who salvaged and repaired it! You only helped install the Minovsky Drive thrusters and the new reactor--!"

"--Which are the main parts of it, meaning without me you'd be sunk!" Cole stayed quiet for a second. "See? I knew that would corner you."

"No, I'm just ending it there because..." he grins as he continues, "I don't want to appear as childish as you." Melina gasped at his comment. "Anyways, the ZZ needs to be loaded now so I'll go take care of that." He walked over to the ZZ and started climbing, looking back. Melina was looking down sadly, staying quiet. He sighed and jumped back down, walking over to her. "I'm sorry. I guess I got carried away, and..." He rubs the back of his head shyly.

"It's okay," Melina replied silently. "I guess I kind of deserved that." Cole sighed as she spoke.

"No, you didn't. I said something I shouldn't have and I'm sorry. I guess I'm still aggravated about those Earth Alliance bastards," he responded equally quiet. He straightened up and bowed to Melina. "I'm sorry. I do more harm than help to you." Melina stayed quiet for a minute as a few drops of water began to fall from the looming clouds above. She walked up to Cole and put her hands on his shoulders, lifting him up from his bow.

"It's okay. You already have enough to worry about." Melina smiles up at Cole. "You're a lot more help than you think, Cole," she added, watching his surprised face break into a little smile.

"Thanks... Melina," he replied. The rain fell as the storm drew closer. "I think we'll have to wait for the storm to blow over before we try launching." Melina nodded and led Cole back towards the main building.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"Why are you so intent on finding that thing?" Melina asked. They were in the mess hall of Morgenroete, waiting for the storm to pass. Cole sighed after a minute of reflection. "It seemed as if... You'd met it once before." He looked at Melina, his eyes retaining a hint of sorrow.

"Well... Four years ago, when that radical ZAFT group was attacking neutral colonies in space, there was a special group of anti-ZAFT space dwellers who aided the Earth Alliance in destroying most of their forces since the Alliance had no great amount of power in space." He leaned back. "I was a member of it, though I had lived on the Earth for some time. The only reason I left was because I had finished restoring the Full Armor Enhanced ZZ. Once in space, I landed on the Moon's surface and ran into one of the radicals' squads. Overall, I decimated them, which caught the eye of James Leonheart, the leader of the anti-ZAFT force that was dubbed the Rebellion. He recruited me to the group after a lot of negotiating." Cole laughed a bit as he continued. "We became really good friends. He was almost like a foster father to me. But as the incidents drew to a close, he died during a battle and I became the leader..." He stayed silent for a minute, Melina waiting patiently.

"I guess he had a lot of faith in you." Cole smiled a bit, looking back at her.

"Well, it didn't last very long. We were sent to one last battle against the remaining radicals. They were drawn into a corner and hiding in the shadow of the Death Planet. We took them all out in no time flat... But they came back." Melina's eyes widened a bit. "The suits repaired themselves and attacked us again. Finally, we decided that we couldn't try and keep them alive, so we obliterated them, losing quite a few of our comrades. That's when it appeared. The Devil broke out of the debris of the planet and killed everyone. I managed to escape relatively unharmed. Ever since then, I told myself that I'd get revenge on that thing for what it did." Melina looked down, saddened. "But not just because of that." She looked back up at him.

"What do you mean?" Cole closed his eyes, staying silent. "Cole?"

"Let's just say that thing... I lost someone because of that thing." He looked down at his hands, his fists clenching.

"Someone? Like family or friend or..." Cole kept silent as Melina asked. She stopped herself and sat quietly. "I see. That kind of someone."

"What it did was completely unforgivable. I want to destroy it not only for vengeance, but to make sure it won't do the same to someone else." The two remained silent for some time as the clock on the wall ticked. Cole stood up slowly, looking up at it. "I wonder if the storm has passed yet."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"All personnel, clear the mass driver!" A voice rang out on the PA system. The shuttle was sitting on the track leading to the driver. The ZZ walked into the shuttle, the bay door closing behind it. "Mobile suit secure. Shuttle is ready for launch."

Inside the shuttle, Cole got out of the ZZ and made his way to the cockpit. As he entered the small bridge, he readjusted the collar of the space suit he was wearing.

"Damn... This is why I hate going into space. The suits leave very little breathing room," he commented as he sat in the co-pilot chair. In the chair next to him was Melina, giggling at his comment.

"Well, would you rather die from the lack of pressure?"

"You'd think with all of this new technology they'd have more comfortable space suits." Melina giggled again. "I mean it. I never really leave the ZZ's cockpit anyways, so I don't see the point," he added in, sighing. The radio clicked and the voice from the control tower PA came on.

"You are clear for launch. Have a safe trip, Lady Melina." Melina smiled, nodding.

"Thanks. See you in a little while," she said, shutting off the radio. "Ready to go?"

"I hate this part..." Cole says as the shuttle suddenly jolts forward. The shuttle slid along the track, barreling across the mass driver and into the air, heading out of the atmosphere. Cole closed his eyes, feeling gravity pulling him against the chair. Melina stayed calm, keeping the controls steady as the shuttle passed the thick layer of clouds and speeding through the blue sky.

"Okay. We're just about out of the atmosphere," she said, trying to comfort Cole, who still had his eyes closed. "You know, you don't have to close your eyes."

"It keeps me from going insane," he replied, keeping his eyes closed. She smiled again, the shuttle flying into space, escaping the pull of gravity. The shuttle's thrusters flared up and it turned slightly.

"Next stop, Mars Bio-Domes," Melina said, looking back at Cole, who finally opened his eyes and breathed a sigh of relief as the shuttle moved onward towards the moon's orbit.


	6. Knockin' on Heaven's Door

The shuttle slowed to a halt near an abandoned colony at L4, the sun barely visible from behind the Earth. The bay door opened quietly, the Full Armor Enhanced ZZ stepping out and letting it float out of the ship. Cole, sitting in the cockpit, closed the visor of his helmet and strapped himself in. He opened a channel to the bridge of the shuttle, seeing Melina's face appear on the screen.

"All right. Close the hatch," he said to her. Melina nodded and leaned to the side, the bay closing as she returned to her position in the seat. "Well, wish me luck." The ZZ's thrusters fired off lightly, the suit catching up and passing the shuttle. "I'll see you soon."

"Hopefully not too soon," Melina replied, smiling. "Be careful, Cole." In response, the ZZ looked back, giving her a thumb up. It turned around and blasted off, leaving the shuttle behind. Melina sighed, watching the ZZ disappear as the sun lowered behind the Earth, casting the shuttle in darkness. The shuttle began moving forward and made a u-turn, heading back home. "I hope he comes back in one piece."

Meanwhile, the ZZ kept going, moving as fast as it could. Cole was waiting, reading some information on the Mars colonies as the red planet came into view. "Home, sweet home." He said as he closed the information window on the computer and hit the communications button. "This is Cole Leonix coming up on Mars airspace. I am returning in the Full Armor to make final arrangements before heading back out." Suddenly, two mobile suits appear from out of nowhere, both of them an enhanced Blitz.

"Roger that, sir. We'll escort you to the docking bay," one of the pilots replied as the two black suits turned and headed to Mars with the ZZ, staying ahead of it. "It's good to have you back, sir."

"It's good to be back. Are all of the crew assembled for the Defiant?"

"Yes sir. They're all awaiting debriefing at the headquarters." One of the Blitz-type suits hanged back a bit. The pilot opened a visual. He was a blonde, long-haired teenager with light blue eyes.

"So, how was your trip, Cole?" the kid asked, watching Cole sigh as he responded.

"Like hell. The Earth Alliance hated that I knew so much, so they tried to dispose of me."

"Well, you at least got to see your girlfriend again." Confused, Cole sat for a minute, but growled angrily.

"What the heck are you talking about! She's not a girlfriend!" The kid laughed as Cole yelled.

"Seriously, you two'd make a perfect couple. You argue like one, too!"

"Damn it, are you spreading rumors, Sean!" Sean kept laughing.

"Nah, this is my own personal opinion, that's all. I won't make anyone else think the same as me unless they want to." Cole sighed, rubbing the back of his head. "Well, we're just about there," Sean added as a group of large metallic domes came into view. The metal framework was light gray and the glass forming the domes crystal clear. Each dome was connected to the other with a small, fully-metallic tunnel, making the domes appear to be a large web of colonies. The largest dome, located near the westernmost side of the domes, had a tall skyscraper in the center with a multitude of smaller buildings surrounding it. At the edge was the docking bay, which was a separated dome that led into the main dome. The docking bay was completely made of metal, the top opening up as the ZZ and Sean's Blitz hovered downward into the dome. They flew across the bay slowly, floating above a bluish-silver Archangel that was being prepared for liftoff. The suits passed the Archangel and landed in a separate hangar for individual suits. The dome closed slowly as the other Blitz headed back out, disappearing again. The ZZ watched the mobile suit hangar door close, the air vents hissing as a voice came onto the PA.

"Pressurization complete. Life support online." Cole took off his helmet and opened the cockpit door, climbing out. He landed on the scaffolding in front of the suit, sighing as he watched Sean jump from the Blitz onto the same scaffold.

"I keep on forgetting that Mars has its own gravity," Cole said as he loosened the collar of his suit. Sean walked over to him, smiling. "Well, let's get moving." He walked along the scaffolds, Sean close behind. After changing into normal clothing, they exited the hangar, walking into the tunnel leading to the main dome. Cole was wearing long white pants and a blue sleeveless buttoned shirt while Sean was wearing camouflage green pants and a white shirt. "Is everything set up?"

"Almost. One of the main problems is mobile suit development. We're stuck with using lost technology until we can build our own weapons," Cole sighed as Sean spoke. "Well, the good thing is the conversion of H.Q. is complete."

"Well, good. I was hoping they'd finish. I wouldn't want someone to easily enter my office and kill me," he replied, rubbing the back of his head. They made it to the end of the tunnel, Sean walking to the side panel and pressing a few buttons. "Now I get to see how much it's changed." Sean smiled, sliding an ID card through the panel's card reader. The doors slid open slowly, revealing a large metallic metropolis that stood from the ground, the streets hanging above and all about the buildings. Cole and Sean walked up the steel slope to the translucent blue roads above. Cole watched as a few cars sped by and seeing the people walking on the sides.

"Well, not much has changed except for the main office. It's just like you left it." Sean started walking ahead, leaving Cole standing at the top of the ramp. He looked up and smiled.

"No... It's different. It's home now," he commented to himself as he caught up with Sean. "And what about you? Anything new happening with you, kiddo?" Sean growled silently at Cole's 'kiddo' comment.

"Nothing... You know, I'm not a kid, and you're not old enough to be calling me a kid anyways."

"Hey, I can call you kiddo if I want. Besides, I've had a lot more experience than you." Sean sighed as Cole walked past. "Doesn't matter if I'm a year or fifty years older, I can still call you a kiddo." Cole put his hands behind his head, laughing.

"I'm gonna get you for that someday, sir," Sean retorted. Cole stopped walking and looked back at him.

"Not funny. You know I hate being called that." Sean smiled and walked past.

"I know. I think I'm the only one who understands that considering how everyone refers to you: 'Commander', 'sir', and a lot of other stuff." They keep walking, making their way to the main building. It stood at over twenty stories high and looked like a large steel sword splitting the air about the dome. "But, would you rather be called 'brother'?" Cole smiled at Sean.

"Nah. That'd be a little too much. Well, speaking of 'brothers'..."

"Sam was in the other Blitz. He's very vigilante when it comes to guard duty, so he's out there a lot."

"I see. Well, he's the military type. You..." Cole opens the front doors of the building slowly. "... Are the comic relief," he finished, the doors swinging open. The inside looked completely different from what the outside would suggest: the interior was furnished like a regular office building on Earth. The walls had a wooden texture to them as did a great deal of other things. The information center and the many other work stations had thick birch counters topped by smooth marble slabs. The doors to the sides leading to other offices were made of oak and well-decorated with brass doorknobs. Across from the front door was a set of elevators, the only pieces to the first floor that weren't wood, marble, or to the likeness of either. One of the elevators had a label that read '1st – 23rd floor' and was constantly opening and closing, people in formal attire walking in and out. The other elevator was labeled '24th' and had an attendant standing next to it. The attendant looked at Cole and saluted lightly.

"Welcome back, sir. How was your trip?" Cole sighed, shaking his head.

"Eventful. I'm gonna go arrange my office if you don't mind," Cole said, then pointing to Sean. "He's coming to help me." The attendant nodded, smiling. He pressed the elevator button, the door sliding open. Cole walked in with Sean following reluctantly. Cole pressed the button inside, closing the doors. The elevator shook to a start and began ascending. "Now there's the official paperwork not to mention assigning rank to those who are joining from the start." Sean smiled, leaning back.

"Well, you can just give me the highest rank below overall leader, whatever that'll be," he commented, grinning gleefully.

"Ensign it is," Cole responded, Sean looking at him in disbelief.

"You serious? That's the rank right below--"

"No. It's the lowest rank you can have when a mobile suit pilot." Sean practically yelled at hearing this.

"WHAT!" The elevator slowly came to a stop, the doors opening as the elevator bell rang. Cole walked out, leaving Sean exasperated, escaping the elevator just as it closed. "Wait a minute, Cole. Why am I stuck with that rank!"

"You have to earn a higher rank, kiddo. No one will start off at the higher ranks unless they have proven themselves in previous battles. If the need arises, there will be promotions to higher ranks for specific missions and roles." Cole stopped in front of a pair of large oak doors with the same brass handles as the doors from the first floor. He slowly opened them, looking into his office.

Cole's office had glass windows on the sides, the wall opposite of him and the wall next to the door adorned with more oak countertops and marble. Near the door was a long desk made of dark beech, the chair behind the desk black leather. Another similar chair was placed on the other side of the desk for people with appointments. Cole walked towards the desk, seeing what was on top of it: a long silver-bladed sword that had the handle and chamber of a magnum replacing the regular sword hilt. Inscribed on the blade was a set of runes and an imprint of a lion's head above it. Cole grabbed the handle and lifted it up, inspecting it.

"Down to the very detail. James was telling the truth," he commented, looking about it, his eyes wide with amazement. Sean walked over and looked at it from the other side.

"A gunblade?" he asked, deciding to let his eyes wander about its brilliant design.

"Revolver to be exact." Sean caught a glimpse of the runes on the blade.

"What does it say?"

"No idea... I've had people try and read it, but it's of unknown origin," Cole commented, lifting the blade up and placing it on his shoulder. "A fitting symbol for this faction and its purpose." He placed the gunblade down on the desk and pulled out some papers from the drawer of the desk. Sean stood in front of the desk at attention. "So... 'Sean Tilbit. Age: 15. Birthdate: September 10, 152 C.E. Birthplace: Neo Heliopolis. Ethnicity: Caucasian. -- Stop me if any of this is wrong. -- Previous occupation: Mars Defense Initiative. Skills: Mobile Suit pilot, OS design, Mobile Suit maintenance, and... Command position; Commander of Echo Squad, MDI.'" He flipped the page over. "'Living family: None. Guardian: None. Race: Natural. Health problems: None. Health history'..." Cole paused for a moment. "'Health history: unnamed muscle-degrading disease...' That's right. You had it, too." He flipped the front page back to the front, sighing. "You will be assigned the rank of Ensign due to your expertise on handling a mobile suit in both combat and non-combat situations. You will be assigned to the Archangel-class ship Defiant. Your allotted mobile suit will be your custom ZGMF – X10A Freedom Gundam." Cole stood up and raised his hand to shake Sean's. "Welcome to Leonheart, Ensign Tilbit." Sean extended his hand and shook Cole's, smiling.

"Thank you... Commander," he responded, saluting as soon as they finished shaking hands. Sean then walked to the door and stopped, turning around. "By the way..." Cole looked at him as he spoke. "I guess you'll be wanting more information on the Devil Gundam, and since you didn't exactly make a wonderful introduction before, I can try to find what I can from the Earth Alliance... With your permission of course." Cole sighed, sitting back down.

"Well, rest first, then go on down to Earth. You have permission to use your own suit as transportation." Sean saluted again.

"Thank you, sir. I won't fail you." He turned and walked out, closing the door. Cole leaned back in his chair, looking at the gunblade.

_James..._ he thought to himself,_ This is my tribute to you... for being a great leader, a great friend, and a great father. _He watched as the lights on the ceiling reflected off of the blade's sharp edge, shining brightly. The phone on his desk rang silently underneath the blade. Cole turned the sword and lifted the phone up. "Yeah? What is it?"

"Your girl-- I mean Miss Melina Roland has sent a message." Cole's eye twitched as he listened to the secretary speak. "The message is: 'I have arrived safely. Make sure you do the same.'" He smiled at the last part.

"Thanks, but for the record, she's not--" he stopped as he heard the phone being hung up by the secretary. He sighed and put the phone down. "I hate rumors... I don't even know her that well." Cole stood up and pressed a small button on the desk, picking up the gunblade. As he walked to the middle of the room, the ceiling panels opened up, allowing a multitude of red and white targets connected to long metal wires to dangle and move about. "Time to blow some steam." He turned his head and dashed to one of the targets, swinging the gunblade towards it.


	7. Wherever You Will Go

A red-winged Freedom hovered above the atmosphere, its eyes peering down at the ocean as it sluggishly passed. Attached to one of its sides was a small container that hung sideways as the suit floated in place. Inside the cockpit, Sean was waiting for something as he watched the Earth turn.

"I've never actually been to Earth. I wonder what it's like." The computer beeped as the side screen opened up to a shaded figure of a man. "Well? Has it been arranged?"

"Yes. She will meet you in San Francisco, California and she will be alone."

"Good. I don't want any outside influences affecting what information I can squeeze out of her," he said coldly, "Be sure it remains that way."

"Roger." The screen switched over to a view of the vast space outside. Sean sat back and watched as North America started crawling out from the right.

"Admiral Demrianna Azriel. I hope her lineage doesn't affect her personality," he commented with a grin. The Freedom jolted forward and entered the atmosphere, the gray armor and red wings turning a darker, almost crimson red. As it dove through, the wings pulled forward and spread out slowly. The Freedom broke into the lower atmosphere just as the wings were done spreading, slowing the Freedom down to a halt thousands of feet above the west coast of California. "Okay. We'll just land in a quiet spot." The Freedom's wings pulled back, allowing it to descend towards a dense forest near the coastline. Sean opened the cockpit and jumped out, landing gently on his feet. Just ahead of him a small clearing led to the coastal road. He turned to the Freedom and re-entered the cockpit. The suit lifted its hands and slowly pulled the container from its side, putting it down on the ground. Sean got back out and opened up the hatch of it, walking inside. Almost immediately, a light shone out of the container and the doors sprang wide open. Sean flew from the trees, wearing a black leather jacket and a black helmet adorned with red lightning bolts, and landed onto the road, riding on a black motorcycle towards the city.

He drove across the Golden Gate Bridge and looked around him as he entered the city. There were very few cars driving by as the bike stopped at a red light. Sean sighed as he peered down the road ahead of him.

"It must be one of those days," he said through the helmet, examining the street through the dark visor. The light turned green and he moved forward slowly. "Maybe they're just not around here during the day. Well, makes for a perfect time to talk." The bike rolled along, taking odd turns down differing streets. It finally came up to a small café and stopped. Sean shut off the motor and took of his helmet, looking into the windows. Inside he saw only one person: a woman sitting near the corner next to the glass, her face covered by the sun's reflection. Sean hung his helmet on the bike and walked towards the café, opening the door. The bell hanging in front of the door rang, the woman looking up at him with a look of indifference. She had long purple hair tied into a ponytail in the back, wearing a black sleeveless jacket over a white shirt and a long black skirt. Sean smiled and walked over to the table, looking down at her. "If only women on Mars looked as beautiful as you. Then I'd have no problem picking up a nice date." The woman looked at Sean, quite annoyed.

"Do you always introduce yourself with flirting?" she asked, lifting an eyebrow slightly. Sean laughed at her question and bowed.

"I am Sean Tilbit, the one who requested to speak with you or whoever was in charge."

"The one in charge was a bit tied up, so I was sent here as a representative. I am--"

"Admiral Demrianna Azriel." She looked at him, surprised. "They told me who I'd be meeting. But…" Sean sat down as he continued, "I never knew you'd be this beautiful." He grinned slightly at her. The woman blushed slightly, scoffing as she tried to cover it up.

"Call me Demi," she said objectively, "We should get down to business while the place is empty." Sean sighed and nodded, leaning back. "So what is it exactly that you need?"

"Information. I want to hear all you know about the Devil Gundam," he replied, provoking Demi's annoyance once more. "What? Did I say something wrong?"

"No," she said, relaxing a bit. "It just reminded me of someone: someone who was obsessed with using that behemoth as a weapon." Sean listened intently to her, now looking quite serious. "He was always such a megalomaniac, wanting more power and influence over anyone and everyone. He threatened Aube into handing over the Devil and helping rebuild it in space. He disappeared shortly before the colony that it was originally being constructed on was destroyed. That was a few years ago."

"So how do you know all of this?" Sean asked. Demi looked down, silent for some time. "Boyfriend?"

"No. There's no way I'd go out with that creep," she replied, scoffing and turning her head. "Though he thought that I was 'his woman' I was nothing of the sort, and his power was so great that he could get away with harassing me all the time." Sean watched her as he heard some anger flare up in her tone. He sighed and leaned back.

"That's the problem with most guys these days: Power-hungry and abusive." Demi looked at him oddly.

"And you're just a big flirt who wants the Devil?"

"No, no. I'm gathering this information for my... Well, a friend. You see, he wants to destroy that thing as soon as possible. Based on what I've heard about it, I'd have to agree," Sean winked as he continued, "Besides, I'm not that bad, I'm merely captivated by your beauty." Demi blushed again and cleared her throat.

"I would give more information on it, but I'm not sure if I should. What if you're a ZAFT spy?" Sean smiled and laughed.

"I'm no Coordinator. If I was, I wouldn't be with ZAFT anyways. Those guys are as corrupt as the higher-ups in the Earth Alliance... Well, in my opinion." Demi gave him a strange look at his last comment.

"I think some of them are great leaders."

"Yeah, great at getting people killed." She remained silent, voicing no response. "To them... Soldiers are just numbers on a paper. Not Cole. He cares for every single soldier and fights without killing."

"That's pointless! Eventually he'll have to kill someone! That's how battles are: You either kill or be killed!" Demi practically stood up yelling at him. She sat back down, a tad reluctant as she glared back at Sean. He shrugged and smiled.

"I'm sorry you think that way, but we all have our own opinions. I can deal with yours," he responded, winking at her again.Demi looked away, calming down suddenly. "Well, since we have all of that finished... How about a movie?"

"Pardon?" she looked at him quizzically as she spoke.

"We're here in a place where no one knows it's us. We could take a little break from the grind of daily life," he said, standing up and walking around the table to where Demi was sitting. "Shall we?" He held his hand out to her, smiling. She looked up at him and sighed.

"And just how old are you anyways?"

"Should it really matter?"

"I don't date the younger ones."

"I didn't say this was a date. I just said we could take a short break," he said with a smile as he kept his hand out to her. Demi sighed again and put her hand in his, standing up from the table with his help.

"I'm only obliging because it'd be rude not to," she said with a hint of annoyance.

"That's fine by me, though your comment was a bit rude in itself. You should really learn to loosen up a little," he responded with a smile, leading her out of the café. Demi watched him as they walked on the streets, people passing by and looking at the two, commenting. Some people looked at them then back at each other and smiled, laughing or giggling quietly. She ignored them and looked back at Sean.

_Loosen up?_ she thought to herself, _How can I? I wonder how old this kid really is... I guess I can't call him a kid anyways. He looks like he's 15 or something. That's only a couple of years younger. But something isn't right. Why would he take me to a movie and not think of it as being a date? _"Demi..." _A small break? Yeah right. There must be something else to it. He must have some hidden agenda._ "Demi." _But what would it be? Is he trying to make me like him or does he think he can get more information from me? _"Demi!" Her head jerked up, seeing the theatre in front of them, a mere block away. Sean was trying to call to her as she walked past him. Demi sighed and walked back to him.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to--"

"It's okay. You were probably just deep in thought. I wonder, though, who were you thinking about?" He winked and walked past her. She smiled a bit and followed, immediately losing her smile. "Well?"

"Certainly not you, kid." Sean sighed and looked back at her.

"I'm 16. Don't call me kid. Besides, you're not that much older than me. I can tell." She looked away, thinking again. _2 years? I consider that to be a big difference._ She turned back to Sean and sighed. "Well, what movie do you want to see?"

"Something with action. I hate romantic movies." Sean looked a bit surprised, but smiled nonetheless.

"Wow. Never heard of that before. Most women I've met would love to go see that kind of movie."

"Well not me, so your choices are limited."

"I hate action movies though..." he replied, looking down. His smile faded, a sorrowful tinge revealed gleaming in his eyes. "I don't like getting into that kind of mood." Demi looked at his face curiously.

"Mood? What mood?" she asked. Sean looked at her and smiled.

"Nothing... I just don't like fighting when it's unnecessary." He turned and headed for the theatre. "Well, come on, Little Lady," he called out sarcastically.

"'Little Lady'?" she asked, looking angered. Sean looked back and stopped walking. He smiled and rubbed the back of his head.

"No, I was just being funny. That's all." She stared at him for some time and finally a small giggle escaped her mouth as she walked towards him.

"Don't call me that again and I promise never to call you 'kid'. All right?" She lifted her hand out to him. Sean smiled and held it gently, lifting it up and kissing it lightly.

"Of course," he replied with a grin and carried on walking, pulling her along. Demi followed reluctantly, confused about him. _What's with this guy? He flirts just like the rest, but... For no real reason. He has no hidden agenda. He's just... Being nice. A little too nice, but it's better than those creeps back at the base._ Sean stopped in front of the theatre and turned to Demi. "You said action films right?" She stared at him, now amazed.

"But... You said--"

"I know what I said, but... It's about what you want, not me." She remained silent as he pulled her into the theatre, looking for which way the movie was. On cue, a ring came from Demi's pocket. She pulled out a cell phone and opened it, answering the call.

"Yes? … Of course. … No, it's okay. I'll go immediately." Sean sighed, holding his hands behind his head. "Right. I'm heading out." She lowered the phone and shut it off. She turned to Sean and smiled weakly. "Sorry. I guess they need me back at the base." Sean nodded and let his hands fall to his sides.

"I guess it's something I'll have to get used to soon enough," he replied, smiling back. Demi remained quiet, looking to the side. Some time passed before she broke the silence.

"Rain check?" she asked lightly.

"Sure... Well, thanks for your time," he finally said, smiling.

"Don't mention it." She lifted her hand up to him for a shake. Sean smiled and shook her hand. "I guess I'll see you later then."

"Hopefully not on the battlefield." Demi nodded in agreement, letting go of his hand. She turned and walked away. "I enjoyed this little date of ours," he commented and walked away. Demi heard and turned, going red again. She scoffed and continued walking. _A date, huh? I guess that was his ulterior motive._ She looked ahead, blocking out what had just happened._ How mistaken he was._

_- - - - - - - -_

Cole fell backwards onto the floor of the office, panting. The gunblade was lying on the ground mere feet from his hand. The targets hanging from the ceiling were sliced in half or had large holes in the middle. He closed his eyes as he tried to catch his breath.

"Damn, it's... So heavy... If I... manage to... use it... properly... who knows... how much... my piloting... will improve…" he said between each breath as he lay on the floor, staring at the ceiling. "This weapon... Requires fast... Reactions and... Sensitive nerves... In the hands." Catching his breath, he slowly sat up and got onto his feet, standing weakly. He walked over to his desk and stumbled into the chair, sighing deeply and lowering his head.

A few minutes passed as he rested in the chair, the gunblade still lying on the ground where it was left and the targets now reeled back into the ceiling. Cole's head jerked up suddenly, a strange feeling shocked through his body. He looked over at the door and spoke silently, "Enter." When he spoke the doorknob turned slowly, opening up and revealing a young girl in jeans, black sneakers, and a gray t-shirt with blue Chinese characters on the front just above the words "Blue Sun". The girl smiled lightly and walked in, her long brunette hair swaying behind her as she stepped forward. "Well, hello there. And you are?"

"Julie," she answered with a light tone. "Julie Xoa. But how did you know I was at the door?" Cole shrugged and laughed to himself.

"Just a feeling."

"A feeling?"

"Yep." Cole stood up from the chair and walked around the desk. "Sorry if it smells of sweat, but I was exercising."

"With what exactly?" Julie asked, looking around the empty office. She then laid eyes on the gunblade and stared at it in awe. "Whoa. What is that?"

"It's called a gunblade. But enough of that. What is it you needed--?" he stopped himself and saw Julie inspect the gunblade on the floor.

"Wow. It's so sharp and long. It must be hard to use," she commented and stopped in front of the grip. She bent down and slid her hand onto its grip and slowly lifted it, smiling. "It's like an epee. Pistol grip." She leaned it against her shoulder and looked towards Cole, smiling. "Pretty heavy, too. You use this thing?" Cole watched in awe as she lifted it with ease. He shrugged and sighed.

"I will eventually. So, you're a Coordinator?" Julie blinked a few times, caught off guard by his question.

"Nope. This ass isone hundred percentNatural," she responded with a light giggle, lowering the gunblade and putting it on the ground. "I'm just strong, that's all." Cole smiled and sat against the front of the desk.

"So what can I do for you, Miss Xoa?"

"Please, just Julie. And I'm here to join your new faction if you have room for me." Cole sighed, lowering his head.

"We do, of course, since we were officially established only days ago. Are you a pilot?"

"Yes sir," she responded with a smile. Cole's eye twitched slightly at her reply. He sighed again and looked up at her.

"About that... Don't call me sir. I'm not that much older am I?" he asked with a grin. Julie shrugged and crossed her arms.

"You look old enough to be in high school. Why would someone like you lead a faction like this?" He looked away in response, peering at the ground sadly.

"What kind of mobile suit do you pilot?" He turned back to her with a serious look on his face.

"It's lost technology, a Full Armor ZZ Gundam."

"I see... Well, if you are a pilot, then your rank will be Ensign. However, I need you to fill out some paperwork before you are officially a soldier." Julie nodded and saluted.

"Thank you... Um..."

"It's Cole. Just call me Cole, Julie." She nodded and held her hand out to him. "Welcome to Leonheart, Ensign Xoa." Cole extended his hand out and shook hers. He then grabbed some papers off of his desk and handed them to her. "Fill them out and turn them into the front desk."

"Right. See you later, Cole," she said, taking the papers and walking out of the office. Cole watched her leaved and sighed heavily once the door closed.

"I don't believe it. The same mobile suit..." He looked down at the gunblade contemplatively. "Back to training." He stood and walked to the gunblade. "Epee... So she fences." He grabbed the handle and lifted it up, mimicking the way Julie grabbed it, wielding it differently than he had before. "Well, it feels different when holding it this way." Reaching back, Cole pressed a button on top of the desk. Not a second passed before some new targets reappeared from the ceiling and began to move. Cole grinned as he watched the targets careen about. "Let's see how different it is." He dashed forward and sliced through some of the targets, smiling. "Very." He spun about and slashed into a couple more, standing triumphantly and observing the targets.

- - - - - - - -

"And that's all. I didn't reveal any pertinent information." Demi was standing in the middle of a darkened office, at attention and talking to a shaded figure sitting behind the desk.

"We understand that this boy works for Leonix and his newly-formed group. We want you to meet with this Tilbit character and learn all that you can about Leonix. Is that clear?"

"Yes sir." She saluted and turned, walking towards the door.

"Azriel." She looked back towards the man. "Don't let his guise make you drop your guard."

"Yes sir." Demi walked out of the office and closed the door, heading off down one of the many halls. "Of course not. I wouldn't fall for a child like that." She stepped through one of the doors and found herself inside a large hangar where a crimson mobile suit stood at rest in the middle. She looked up at it with a devilish smile. "Time to find out if his skills in combat are as good as his skills in flirting."


End file.
